Uneasy tensions in LIS Education

This article covers the training and education of librarians.

Education for 21st century librarianship continues to face many of the uneasy tensions that have been present since its beginnings in the 19th century. Some of the tensions facing Library and Information Science Education:

Tension # 1: Generalization versus specialization

There's always been a tension between specialization and generalization in the history of the development of Library Science as an academic discipline (at least in the United States). I guess you could say both have won or maybe they co-exist uneasily? For example, one can still get a graduate degree in Library and Information Science with just about 12 courses. In some schools such as the University of Arizona's School of Information Resources and Library Science the generalization-specialization is exhibited in the following ways: graduate students can specialize in an area of study such as Knowledge Organization. The specialization is a core intellectual problem area of LIS - see this article in D-Lib Magazine for more. Or they can specialize in a particular information environment such asSchool Library Media certification.

Tension #2: Practice versus Theory

Tension #3: 1 year versus 2 year graduate degree

Tension #4: Education for Information (the I word) versus Education for Library Science (the L word) or is it LIS Education?

Tension #5: Cataloging education versus Knowledge organization (or organization of information) approaches

Tension #6: Distance learning versus classroom delivery

The Williamson report on library education chastised librarians and called them "prejudiced" even in this regard for failing to take advantage of new technologies that would provide access (to library education through DE - distance education) to rural areas.

Tension #7: Crisis Criers - if we believe some folks LIS education has been in crisis now for over a hundred years in the US (since inception in fact). continue reading @

Education - LISWiki

THE SAD SIDE OF REMEMBRANCE DAY 2006

November 10, 2006 [News from Ontario Library Association]

After the tremendous surge of support for Remembrance activities in 2005, it is sad to see the growing number of stories in the media involving the theft of donation boxes this year. These stories are being offset by people rising to the occasion to replace the stolen money but it is a measure of the shock. A robber made off with a Remembrance Day poppy box that had been set up at the circulation desk at the Elmvale Acres branch of Ottawa Public Library. In an Ottawa Citizen story, library spokesman Alan Roberts said Friday the staff were "mortified" by the robbery and they, like so many others, are pitching in to replenish the money that was stolen.

See also: ola meeting space › Community Blog › OLA Headline Stories

+ Practical Ideas You Can Use to Improve Your Library Program

Text from the AASL 2001 Annual Conference Session

Title of presentation: 101+ Practical Ideas You Can Use to Improve Your Library Program.

Presented by: Gene Hainer, Colorado State Library and Su Eckhardt, Cherry Creek School District.

(c) 2001, Colorado Educational Media Association and Colorado State Library. Permission to duplicate for educational purposes only, with proper credit to the above authors and organizations. All other rights reserved.

The following ideas were gathered from many sources or personal experience. Some you may want to do now. Others you may never want to do. There may even be things you know about that aren't listed here.

While reading, take a moment to commit yourself to doing something--anything--to improve your library, work life, collection, PR, communication, collaboration, instructional practices. Anything. Then take that first step and try it! If that's successful, try something else. You (and your program) will be better for it.

Categorized by the elements presented in Principles of Information Power: Building Partnerships for Student Learning.

LEADERSHIP

1. Realize that you do not have time to do EVERYTHING. Decide what is important and do THAT....

LEARNING AND TEACHING

45. Start curriculum mapping of the classroom content. Work with teachers to sketch out the major curriculum areas or units that they will be working on throughout the year. These can be displayed on poster board (if first laminated, can be written on, erased, and changed as needed during the year). It also reminds teachers that you and the library are there to help with instruction.

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

55. Post copyright restrictions. Place on copy machines, VCRs, reproducible notebooks that request permissions, etc.

Continue reading the 101+Practical Ideas You Can Use to Improve Your Library Program

Make sure your resume is noun-intensive

A thought for those who are looking for a job and sending a resume: Don't be insensitive

Scanning technology used by most companies tends to search by nouns, not verbs. For example, instead of writing "managed projects" on your resume, write "project manager." in 10 Ways to Stand Out From Your Competition, By KATE LORENZ, CAREERBUILDER.COM EDITOR

The Top 10 Reasons to Be a Librarian

By Martha J. SpearLibrary media specialist Berkley (Mich.) High School
(with apologies to David Letterman)

As a high school library media specialist, I have the good fortune to work with, and sometimes mold, young people. If I’m lucky, I discover what they do after graduation. Recently, one of my favorite students informed me that after earning her humanities degree at a tiny private college, she was pursuing a master’s degree in museum studies. Congratulating her, I jokingly said, “Watch it. That’s awfully close to a master’s in library science.” She laughed and said: “Oh, I’d never do that.” Somewhat defensively, I replied, “You could do worse.”

Long after this brief conversation, I wondered, where did we, as librarians, go wrong? Why is there such an onus on this profession that a bright, young person would choose, well, any career but that of librarianship? I think it’s sad. Librarianship has much to offer, and I think we can do better in promoting our profession. Toward that end, I present my top 10 reasons for being a librarian.

Ever-changing and renewing
Romance
Useful skills
Great conferences
Time off
A job with scope
It pays the rent
Good working conditions
Cool coworkers
Grand purpose
In sum, I feel very much like Evelyn Carnahan in the film The Mummy. To refresh your memory, our leading lady is in the midst of describing—and defending—what she does for a living to a roguish male. They have been drinking.

Evelyn: Look, I—I may not be an explorer, or an adventurer, or a treasure-seeker, or a gunfighter, Mr. O’Connell! But I am proud of what I am!

Rick O’Connell: And what is that?

Evelyn: I am . . . a librarian!

I couldn’t have said it better.

This article originally appeared in American Libraries, October 2002, p. 54–55. continue reading

Library Technicians - Who are they?

From: College Grad Careers
CollegeGrad.com - Career Videos, Library Technicians. Library Technicians occupy the top spot on the Librarian support staff. They free Librarians up for other tasks, while helping to acquire, prepare and organize materials.

Seneca Library Holiday Song

See also from my blogs:

Funny you should ask: Humor at the Reference Desk

Unusual Reference Questions - Globalism Visited

Silence Please: Mr. Bean, The Library

The Technique of Song and Sound Visualization: Blogga Song of Librarians

Nine Questions on Technology Innovation in Academic Libraries

In February, 2007, an invitation to an informal survey of "Nine Questions on Technology Innovation in Academic Libraries" was posted to the WEB4LIB, NGC4LIB, LITA-L, COLLIB-L, ACRL-NJ and New Jersey academic library listservs, and it was mentioned in the national ACRLog blog.

The following is a brief summary of the informal survey results with links to more complete information:
***
The survey received 136 responses in total, and 75% said that their library is not the center of technology innovation on campus, while 23% identified the library as the center of technology innovation on campus.

Overall, the majority responded that:

*Recent technology innovations in the library included blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, IM reference, and digitization projects.

*The driving force behind tech. innovation is student needs, followed by an Information Tech. Chief or Dean with vision, and the initiative of individuals.

*The biggest obstacle to tech. innovation in libraries is lack of money, staff, and time, with an unsupportive administration cited as one of the top four obstacles.

*The Library's approach and the Library staff's approach to technology innovation were both overwhelmingly described as "cautious but willing," though the staff were more often described as "resistant and blocking" than the Library itself.

*Faculty and librarians were most cited as the introducers of disruptive technology on campus, followed closely by students.

*The most disruptive technology for academic libraries today is "Web 2.0" or Social Computing technologies with Google/Google Scholar coming up second.

*The Top Ten Models of Technology Innovation cited by the libraries that answered that their libraries are centers of technology innovation were very similar to those cited overall. The Top Ten Models identified were:

1) North Carolina State University – Endeca Project
2) University of Pennsylvania - PennTags
3) MIT – DSpace
4) University of Michigan – Digital Library Production Service (DLPS)
5) University of Minnesota – Primo library system
6) Cornell University – Digital Library Research Projects
7) University of Virginia – Fedora Open Source Institutional Repository 8) University of California – California Digital Library (CDL)
9) University of California, Santa Barbara - Alexandria Digital Library Geospatial Network
10) Oregon State University – LibraryFind Project

For more information on these Top Ten Models of Tech. Innovation in Academic Libraries, links and abstracts are posted on the ACRL-New Jersey Chapter Website
Separate analyses for the libraries that answered "yes" they are the center of technology innovation and the libraries that answered "no"
The overall quantitative results of the survey and the text of the nine
questions are posted online

NB. Info courtesy: Mary A. Mallery @ [Web4lib] & College Libraries Section [COLLIB-L@ala.org ]

Technorati tags:
ACRL
college and research libraries

Go to the library - ways to survive life without the Internet

An online search may be fast and effortless, but there is nothing like a reference library to make you really appreciate the world of knowledge. Surround yourself in books and get a taste of what it was like to engross yourself in research before the Internet. The process is far more challenging and rewarding." Source: 7 ways to survive life without the Internet

And, Then The Life Will Be As-Is:

Internet and the Future,
"...the Web’s days are numbered as the Internet moves to a second round of expansion beyond the browser... continue reading"

Living beyond Internet, by VAISHNAVI SUBRAMANIAN - Dil Se, The Hindu, Aug 06, 2007

The Lessons of T Shirts to Marketers

"One of the problems all of us marketers has is that we lie to ourselves. We want so badly to reinforce what we think we know that we often miss the obvious.

We turn to focus groups and see what we want to see.
We turn to "experts" and hear what we want to hear.
We turn to research to read what we want to read.

We even talk to our customers. Unfortunately, our customers perception of how they interact with our products and services don't alway match reality. No where is this more obvious than at sporting events." Full artilce

Introvert and Looking for a Job - You are not alone

There are lots of guides, gurus and googlers:
PS. thanks to Ahtisham (in chat) & Nirmala for a lead on this topic: Networking for the Introverts

NETWORKING TIPS, FROM ONE INTROVERT TO ANOTHER, LYNN SCHEURELL IS THE [Certified Feng Shui Expert ]

Introverts unite! Written by Brian Flemming

Networking for Introverts, by Rachel @ The Liminal Librarian

Confessions of an Introvert, The Shy Girl's Guide to Career, Networking and Getting the Most Out of Life, by Meghan Wier

Successful Marketing for Introverts
Beth Woodward, CPCC, Pinnacle Associates, Inc.

How To Network: For Introverts, by rob @ Businesspundit.com

Instead of feedback, how about 'feedforward'?

Better to focus on doing things better in future than raking over past, coach says

VIRGINIA GALT WORKPLACE REPORTER
Friday, November 10, 2006
Receiving feedback rarely ranks as one of work's more pleasurable activities.

Now, management guru Marshall Goldsmith has devised a concept he calls "feedforward" -- the focus being on how to do things better in the future, rather than raking over the past.

The fundamental problem with feedback is that there is nothing the recipient can do to change what has already occurred, Mr. Goldsmith, a California-based executive coach, said in Toronto this week at a convention of the Canadian Society for Training and Development. Continue reading

Library 2.0 Theory

This is a running post: Updated March 10, 2007:

Michael Stephens on The Culture of Trust
"The best libraries of the future will be those that...will seek to make that personal, emotional connection with users. It might be online, it might be in person, it might even be at Panera Bread. Walk through your library today and look at the story your library is telling with its space, signage, and ambience. Share yourself. Be human. Feel good about the difference you can make in your role as a guide for your users through this crazy, information-inundated world."
Listen to this article ...

Library 2.0 : An Academic's Perspective
I am quite excited to see a fellow SUNY librarian and a nationally known librarian blogging about Library 2.0 from the perspective of an academic. I have known Laura Cohen for may years and have served with her in the SUNY Librarians Association. Her new blog, Library 2.0: An Academic's Perspective, will be worht the time to read it. Her introductory post provides a good introduction and overview of Library 2.0. She quotes this list, from LITA President Bonnie Postletwaite, of what Library 2.0 basic concepts cover:

Flexibility and nimbleness to enable rapid change
Commitment to continuous improvement based on assessment
Interactive and collaborative services driven by users needs
Taking the library to the users AND making the library a destination
Embracing radical trust
Use of new technological tools to accomplish the above
Laura then comes to the conclusion that "the last item is optional." I am in complete agreement.

Thanks to Bill Drew @ Baby Boomer Librarian for this reference

Interesting, thought provoking and synchronizing article by Maness. Thanks to Sukhdev for this info.

Library 2.0 Theory: Web 2.0 and Its Implications for Libraries, by Jack M. Maness, Webology, Volume 3, Number 2, June, 2006
Abstract
This article posits a definition and theory for "Library 2.0". It suggests that recent thinking describing the changing Web as "Web 2.0" will have substantial implications for libraries, and recognizes that while these implications keep very close to the history and mission of libraries, they still necessitate a new paradigm for librarianship. The paper applies the theory and definition to the practice of librarianship, specifically addressing how Web 2.0 technologies such as synchronous messaging and streaming media, blogs, wikis, social networks, tagging, RSS feeds, and mashups might intimate changes in how libraries provide access to their collections and user support for that access.

Michael Habib On Librarianship and the Information Sciences: Conceptual model for Academic Library 2.0

Library 2.0 Idea Generator citation posted by Dave Hook, August 02, 2006

I love this - if you are looking for Library 2.0 ideas for your library, be sure to check out the Library 2.0 Idea Generator. This site randomly generates such gems as:
"remix Ranganathan's Laws using del.icio.us"
"engage microformats using LibraryThing"
"re-evaluate Stephen Abram using the Netflix model"
"repurpose Inter Library Loans just to annoy Michael Gorman"

"A library service on the web that is a combination of LibraryThing, Netvibes, IM-reference and Aquabrowser adapable to the individual needs and of course it should not be library dependent, but could incorporate content and services from all kinds of library-enteties.... Library 2.0 = MyLibrary? by lib1point5, 12 Apr 2006
See Also:

Michael Stephens is collecting Library 2.0 definitions

Reference 2.0 (within the framwork of Stephen Abram's Library 2.0) in THE MYSTERY OF THE DISAPPEARING REFERENCE COLLECTION [ppt] K. Jane Burpee, University of Guelph. Barbara McDonald, McMaster University. Burpee/McDonald OLA Superconference 2006

Library2.0 following the meme

XML in Libraries, Dorai Thodla.

In an article, “Libraries urged to embrace Web2.0″, Mark Chillingworth makes the point that “that existing library catalogue standards, such as MARC and Z39.50, need to be replaced by XML technology “...

Here are some baby steps libraries can take.
1. Decide on what information a library wants to publish - catalogs, events, services, resources etc.
2. Design one or more Microformats for publishing the information
3. Integrate it into the current library web sites
continue reading

Web 2.0: Where will it take libraries by Dr. Wendy Schultz, On the way to the library experience of the future [incl: Library 1.0: Commodity; Library 2.0: Product; Library 3.0—Web 3D to Library 3D: Service; Library 4.0, the neo-library: Experience]

Technocrati Tags:
Web 2.0
Library2.0; and Library 2.0
Streaming media
Library Education

See also my previous post:

Blog As A Teaching Tool

Visualizing the Innernet or Visual Display of the Website's Infostructure

Isolatr Vis-a-Vis a Unified Theory of Web 2.0

Information Visualization Demystified - from a library and information science perspective